Menstrual Practices, Beliefs, and Traditions of Menstruating People in Nepal: A Scoping Review of the Qualitative Evidence

Menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) and the adherence to negative restrictive menstrual practices are major issues in Nepal with pressing public health relevance. Factors that influence menstrual beliefs and practices in the country include family members, menstrual education, religion, menstrual stigma, gender discrimination, caste/ethnicity, illiteracy, geography, and poverty. There is ample evidence to suggest many Nepali peoples’ traditional menstrual health practices and beliefs have negative mental and physical health effects. The objective of this essay is to review the current state of qualitative evidence regarding menstrual practices, beliefs, and traditions of menstruating people in Nepal. Utilizing this information, this scoping review will also examine past menstrual health management (MHM) interventions in Nepal and suggest modifications for future interventions and research. Qualitative studies from Nepal that examined factors contributing to menstrual practices, beliefs, and traditions were identified through searches across four databases: Medline, APA PsycInfo, Global Health, and EMBASE. Four qualitative studies published between 2014 and 2022 were included in this literature review. All four studies reported participants partaking in a plethora of restrictive practices during menstruation, including menstruators being restricted from entering kitchens and temples, sharing a bed, and using the same water source as others in the community. Research on menstrual practices, beliefs, and traditions in Nepal, especially based in rural regions where stricter practices and beliefs are more prevalent, is extremely lacking. Future research and interventions should utilize a holistic community-based approach that accounts for all the aforementioned factors that influence menstrual beliefs and practices